09-09-09

Disclaimer: This may very well be the worst thing I've ever posted. But in the spirit of exposing myself, here it is nonetheless.

It’s the 9^th.

Not the 11^th. The 9^th.

Is it weird that 8 years later my stomach still drops at the sound of a military helicopter overhead? We don’t see many of those here, but it’s a gruesome reminder of that fateful day when it’s ALL we heard; the only thing breaking up the eerie silence.

I live 120 miles south of New York City; 108 miles north of Washington DC; and 199 miles east of Shanksville, Pennsylvania. I remember feeling surrounded by horror.

From the Ben Franklin Bridge, you could see the smoke rising from Lower Manhattan.
From my living room, you could hear the drone of military aircraft coming and going from Dover AFB and whatever that facility is just over the Delaware state line. This wasn’t happening on TV. This was happening in our yard.

Funny thing about the 11^th. I was on a plane on that day last year (read blog titled September 11, 2008) and never felt safer. Well, I say that… guess you’d have to read the blog to really know what I was feeling…

So today. Today I feel… like maybe I found my coffee limit; irritated because my data hasn’t shown up which is putting me behind; a bit like buying a chainsaw to take care of the newly downed tree out back; and more curious with every passing whirly-bird. I can’t help but wonder, why today? What’s going on in that secret government cave that it’s releasing low-flying aircraft again? Probably just routine exercises. Nonetheless, maybe I’ll take a drive up the street to the private airport.